chemotropism

noun

che·​mot·​ro·​pism ki-ˈmä-trə-ˌpi-zəm 

ke-

: orientation of cells or organisms in relation to chemical stimuli

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Chemotropismus, from chemo- chemo- + -tropismus -tropism

Note: The term was introduced by the German physiologist Max Verworn (1863-1921) in Psycho-physiologische Protisten-Studien (Jena, 1889), p. 103. Verworn intended it as a replacement for the term Chemotaxis introduced the previous year by Wilhelm Pfeffer (see chemotaxis), in line with existing terms ending in -tropismus.

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

chemotropism

noun

che·​mot·​ro·​pism kē-ˈmä-trə-ˌpiz-əm 

ke-

: positioning of cells or organisms in relation to a chemical

Medical Definition

chemotropism

noun

che·​mot·​ro·​pism ki-ˈmä-trə-ˌpiz-əm, ke- 

: orientation of cells or organisms in relation to chemical stimuli

chemotropic

ˌkē-mə-ˈtrō-pik 

adjective

chemotropically

-pi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb